Friday, July 27, 2007

Laffing Romania


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Red code, orange code

Mr. Basescu's interview for 'Politique Internationale', a magazine that awarded Mr. Adrian Nastase the 'Political Courage' prize a few years ago, irritated ex President Ion Iliescu, who hastily decided to write a letter at times when Romania is seized with heat. As we are under the ceaseless invocation of warning codes, we can take this letter as part of the red code. On the other hand, the reply expressed by the Presidency spokesman together with the reply belonging to Mr. Boc, a Semper Fidelis (until proved otherwise), would be part of the orange code, at least because of its plainness and predictability.
Did we know nothing about the assumed authors of the two texts, we could think they are quarrelling, mainly about the way power is being used. In fact, as far as this is concerned, their conflict is not at all irreconcilable, even aside from the fact that both of them had power for a long time, one as President and the other one as minister, and that shoulder to shoulder they went through their mandates and two coal miners' attacks. They both are the beneficiaries of support from 'good oligarchs', who invented them as politicians and 'helped them be elected for the highest official position in state", as Mr. Iliescu says. They both expressed as clearly as possible their preference for the same kind of prime minister and even for the same person, that is Mr. Stolojan. Mr. Iliescu grabbed both the government and the Parliament in his booming years. Mr. Basescu tried it too, but he wasn't as successful as he wanted to be. But both of them "stopped the evolution of the national reconciliation process, replacing it with revenge and grudge". Both of them incited "obedient prosecutors, turned into a kind of new political police, against political adversaries." Both Mr. Iliescu and Mr. Basescu "made out of all those they disagreed with their personal enemies to be destroyed at all costs", they "legitimated hatred and revengeful attitudes as instruments of the political battle", making use of state institutions to this end.
Therefore the difference does not consist in the two Presidents' views on power. It is rather the attitude at the opposition that makes this difference. Mr. Iliescu never admitted the legitimacy of the opposition. Had there been no opposition, Mr. Iliescu would have been happy. Were there no opposition, Mr. Basescu would invent it. He admits its legitimacy neither, but he is perfectly aware of its usefulness. Just like in jujitsu, he has found out that he can increase his power more easily amidst the raucous cries of the opposition rather than in the silence of a repressed or absent opposition.
The slogan due to which Hugo Chavez won his mandate was "Let's kick all of them out!" In the same manner, Mr. Basescu, who, just like Mr. Jourdain, is a prose writer although he doesn't know it or perhaps on the contrary, has systematically been encouraging state dysfunctions, in a strategy ceaselessly defying and challenging the opposition. Behind his urges to fight - the villainous system, pales, the 322, demonization of the political class - there is a void of projects and ideas, which makes such slogans be as difficult to dismember as Mr. Iliescu's fake rhetoric passion.
Mr. Iliescu adapted democracy to the imperative survival of the nomenclature, whereas Mr. Basescu is adapting it to an authoritarian regime. Mr. Iliescu's particular democracy was based on "our tranquility", whereas Mr. Basescu's efficient democracy is based on scandal. The only difference between the red code and the orange one is the level of the risk expressed. No matter how faithful to his own biography, Mr. Iliescu can no longer edit it again: his code is as red as the setting sun.

Zoe Petre
Ziua Vineri 27 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

Foreign minister stands by 'sex ambassadress'




The information ZIUA unveiled about Manuela Vulpe, the Romanian ambassadress to Mexico, and her traffic of influence meant to get her a flat belonging to the Romanian state has caused scandal in the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the PM's Chancellery and Presidency Administration too. Manuela Vulpe's emails to various people in the Foreign Ministry and other state institutions show some officials pursue solutions to personal problems and abuse their transient positions to this end rather than see to professional activities. The employees of some state-owned institutions seem constantly interested in wealth, upstarting and fun in the countries they are sent to work in. It is the emails of Mrs. Ambassadress Manuele Vulpe, posted on the www. spiritofromania.com, that reveal it.
After ZIUA published the "Sex ambassadress" report, people sent us more emails by Manuela Vulpe, proved to be have sent from her personal email address.
The ambassadress sent us a reply announcing she would take legal action against those who had accessed her email address illegally. This diplomacy scandal has burst out at times when some important parliamentary delegations headed by Liberal Bogdan Olteanu, speaker for the Chamber of Deputies, is in Mexico. It is on this occasion that we have learned about the latter official's schedule. Apart from meetings with the representatives of various Mexican institutions, there is a lot of tourism.
We have got latest information claiming that Mrs. Ambassadress has got a more than conventional relationship with a small state in Oceania. (...)
Vulpe summoned to Bucharest
The Foreign Ministry made an official announcement yesterday, critical of the action to intercept and disclose a private person's private mail. There is mentioned that Mrs. Ambassadress and the other people pointed to in the printed reports are free to take all legal measures to defend their broken rights, if they assume so.
The press release goes that the Ministry is analyzing the situation and, depending on the conclusions, the officials will provide information about a decision. Ambassadress Manuela Vulpe is to come to Bucharest for explanations next week. (...)

Ziua
Ziua Vineri 27 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english

EU estimates Romanian agriculture heads disaster

Despite Bucharest officials' statements, Brussels scientific reports show the drought may have very severe consequences on short, medium and long term. You can now read a presentation of an extremely serious document proving beyond any doubt a very worrying state of things jeopardizing Romania's survival. In statistics terms, this is about a phenomenon Romanian authorities do little talking on or they just belittle it: the continuous decrease of Romania's agriculture production. It is despite the yearly predictions that have proved either amateurish or lying, given their intention to cool people down and send partners a very sweetened message. (...)
Satellites and mathematical patterns
The JRC (Joint Research Center) experts author this complete analysis accompanied by maps and statistical data. It is a prediction for the European production of cereals in 2007 that uses satellite teledetection and mathematical patterns simulating the growth of crops.
The question Romanian authorities should answer is why the lack of elementary precaution measures has once again caused the present state of things. Why haven't they contacted European institutions in the field for such prospective analyses that possess the appropriate detection and prediction procedures? We hope the information here will be an argument decisive for a responsible debate.
The question at stake is why the degradation has been allowed for and why has Romania got the greatest production losses in the entire EU, since the weather forecast hasn't been a mystery? This year's wheat production confirms it. The Romanian production's decrease is dramatic, although the 2005 wheat production in the EU is 2,3% superior to the average of the last 5 years. (...)
As far as the major cereal production is concerned, the corn is the only cereal providing Romania with a position such as the first before the last, as Bulgaria seems to be worst. (...)
The estimations on the 2007 production of sunflower, cole, sugarcane and potatoes are also pessimistic, because of great losses. Romania is one of the European states most harmed.

Cristian Unteanu, Brussels
Ziua Vineri 27 Iulie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english